Judging the Manchester Terrier

Judging the Manchester Terrier

The American Manchester Terrier Club would like to clarify some points about our breed pertaining to the evaluation of the bite and size.

With regards to dentition consistent with AKC (American Kennel Club) judging procedures, we strongly urge judges to ask the handler to show the bite. Our Breed Standard states, “the jaws are powerful with full and proper dentition” and further references “tight black lips lie close to the jaw.”

While it is necessary to check the bite and the sides of the mouth, it is improper to open a Manchester Terrier’s mouth to check for the molars or to expect the dog to stand while teeth are counted. The Breed Standard does not include a disqualification for missing teeth. Due to the tight lips that lie close to the jaw, and the large teeth relative to their size, attempting to handle the dog and visualize each tooth in an exhibit’s mouth can lead to an unnecessarily unpleasant experience for the dog.

When examining the Manchester Terrier from a functional and historical perspective, it is most important to ensure the quality of the bite by evaluating the strength of the jaw, size of the teeth, and the occlusion.

With regards to size, our Standard states, “The Toy variety shall not exceed 12 pounds,” and “The Standard variety shall be over 12 pounds and not exceeding 22 pounds.” Please note, there is no preference for size described within the weight limit. Historically, the breed was regarded for its versatility, which is partly due to the range of size found within the varieties. Judges should not disregard smaller specimens in either variety based on size alone.

And finally, we strongly encourage judges to weigh an exhibit that may appear to be over the size limitation for its variety. Per our Breed Standard, “The Toy variety over 12 pounds shall be excused. Disqualification: Standard Variety – Weight over 22 pounds.”

Estimating a dog’s weight is a difficult task even for our most experienced Breeders. If you should encounter an entry in either variety that you question whether it is in the allowable range for weight, the only proper recourse is to weigh the dog to confirm it is within the allowable range. It is a disservice to our breed, and to our exhibitors, for a judge to disregard an entry based on their estimate of its weight, or reward an exhibit with a disqualifying fault (Standard variety) or one that should be excused as indicated by our Breed Standard (Toy variety) for being outside the allowable range for weight.

Thank you for your help in ensuring both a positive experience for our dogs and assisting us in safeguarding the traits described in our Breed Standard.